TEENAGE SERIES- Finding Clara!

“Where …how did you find her?” Camille asked in a broken
voice as she stared at her sister through the screen.

“Well…she came to my home this morning, my son…is her
sister’s friend…” Veronica said as though there was a lodge in her throat.

“Is it really her?” Camille asked again nervously.

Veronica could see she was literally shaking.

“Calm down dear, yes, she’s the one. It’s just that she’s
all grown up.”

“Yes…she’ll be seventeen next week.” Camille said. “I’ve missed so much of her life…I have missed too much.”

“That’s true…”

“I remember when she was so little, I still have all her pictures…it seems like ages ago. Did she ask about me?”

“Yes, she did and apparently, she’d been misinformed that you’re dead.”

“What? Why would Michael say that?”

“Well, I guess you’ll have to ask her to know the full story but she’s a beautiful girl and very mature and intelligent. She doesn’t seem too adventurous like you were when you were her age, but she seems like she knows what she wants and how to get it.”

“We’ve lied to Clara her whole life about the story of her
mother. From the story of her mom finding out about me in the papers and
tracing me to tell me that she had a child for me and then waltzing off abroad
to live with her new husband to the story of her mom’s death.” He said tiredly. “I’m tired of lying to her and now, she’s going to know the truth whether I decide to tell her or not.”

“That’s what my wife told Kendra and her
siblings sometime ago, infact that was what led to our separation especially as
she wanted me to chose between her or Clara.”

“She must be joking! That liar! That woman you’ve had to
cover up for, your entire marriage together. You know what? Sometimes, I feel
like telling her that I know the truth.”

“Let’s not go there Carol!”

“Abegi…what sef? She pinned that child on you! She pinned
Kendra on you…we both know…” Carol said, lowering her voice. “She was
pregnant before ….”

“Shhh….don’t say this aloud….be quiet.” Her brother said
quickly.

“She’s always been greedy. You guys were dating but broke up
because she found a richer dude, then you met Camille and was serious about her
before her family told you that she was actually sixteen and not twenty. Your
wife came back to you with a pregnancy, what else explains the fact that she
had Kendra a few months after your wedding? We were calculating and we know that she was pregnant before she came back to you.”

Clara’s father looked at his sister and looked away.

“Kendra is my daughter…”

“Well, you know the truth…”

“I raised her myself and yes, I know the truth but what good
does it do? Do you want me to spill it to the world? She’s an innocent child.”

“I blame you for dancing to your wife’s tune of praises for
her daughter and neglecting your own.”

Clara’s father dragged in a deep breath.

“Can we leave this topic? Please…”

“Well, I just think you should talk to your wife. I see the
hostility between herself and Clara, it’s almost as though they are dating the
same man. Why does she fight so hard against that poor girl?”

“I guess it’s because she knows that I truly loved Clara’s mother and regret till this day, why I let her go.” Clara’s father said in a
meek voice.

“You poured out all the frustrations you had against Clara’s
mother on Clara. It wasn’t her fault that you fell in love with a young girl
and she lied to you all because she loved you too…”

“I’ve lied to Clara and I need to tell her the whole truth
because if she finds out on her own, I might lose her forever.” He said.

“Yes, you owe her the truth bro…” Aunty Carol said as she left the study. “And you owe yourself the truth. Be the man in this issue and tackle your wife and her lies.”

*********

Raymond watched his mother eat, the house was silent and
even James noticed that his mother wasn’t her usual self.

“Is anything the matter mom?” James asked.

“Yes…but we’ll talk about it once you’re done eating.” His
mother said.

James nodded and continued eating. Raymond quickly stood up
with his plate in his hand.

“Can I be excused mom? I’m done eating.”

“No, sit here….because we are going to discuss this.” His
mother said firmly.

James looked at his mother and pushed his plate away slowly.

“I am done eating. What’s the important thing we have to
discuss?”

“You, James!” His mother said.

She quietly brought out the phone from her pocket and
scrolled through to the video and playing it, she handed it over to him.

James recognised the phone, it was his brother’s and the video
was the same he’d sent to the boys.

“You! How dare you?” He growled rushing to push Raymond.

“Stop it! James! Stop it!” His mother shouted, lunging at
him.

“Get away from me you hear? I’m out!” He shouted.

She dragged him back.

“Where do you think you’re headed? James, you will stay here
and explain to me why you lied against that girl!”

“I have nothing to explain to you.” James said and shoving
his mother out of his way, he stormed into his room.

“James! You pushed me? Did you just shove me? James! I am
your mother, James!” His mother shouted as she followed him to the room and
banged the door hard.

Raymond stood there not knowing what to do, he knew his
brother was so mad at him but he had to do what was right.

The door to the room opened and James emerged with a small
bag and stormed out into the sitting room and pulled open the door while his
mother followed him behind calling his name.

“James come back here! Where do you think you’re going to at
this time of the night? James!” She screamed at him as she left the house,
following him behind.

Raymond took his phone from the table and quickly dialled a
number. Uncle W was not at home so there was really no one at home except him.

“Hello….” The deep voice floated down the line.

“Good evening dad, it’s me Ray…”

“What is it? You sound tensed.” His father said.

“It’s James…dad, I think he just ran away from home…”
Ray’s voice broke.

“I’ll be in Lagos first thing tomorrow…” His father’s
voice assured. “Where is your mother?”

“She went off chasing him….daddy, James is turning into a
bad boy and I think you’re the only one who can help…him…mommy, is too
soft…with him and…” Ray cried.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be in Lagos tomorrow and if he likes
himself, he’d better be in that house before I get home or he’ll have me to
face!” His father said with his strong voice.

As Raymond dropped the call, he slumped on the dinning chair
and stared at the plates on the table and sighed. Something told him
that he was doing the right thing.

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ABOUT ME

Adaeze Ibechukwu is a writer and Storyteller . She's been writing since she was child and has published two children’s short stories at the age of nine. She was the 2015 Story Series Writer of the year at the Nigerian Awards and also named one of the most influential writers under 40, by the platform. She has also written scripts for movies and stage plays.

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